Table-top for kitchen-cabihets



H. J. BITTER. TABLE TOP FOR KITCHEN CABINETS. APPLICATION man FEB. 7. 1919.

1 ,320, 177. Patented Oct. 28, 1919.

INVENTOR. flea/y (IE fi ATTORNEY HENRY J. BITTER, OF TIPPEOANOE CITY, OHIO.

TABLE-TOP FOR KITCHEN-CABINETS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 28, 1919.

Application filed February 7, 1919. Serial No. 275,501.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY J BITTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Tippecanoe City, in the county of Miami and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and'useful Improvements in Table-Tops for Kitchen-Cabinets and Similar Structures, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to table tops for kitchen cabinets and similar structures. In structures of this kind it is customary to provide a guideway between two parts of the structure in which a table top or slidable shelf is mounted so that when the table is not in use it may be pushedback into the guideway or space between the two parts of the structure, and when it is desired to use the table it is drawn out into an extended position. The structure is usually of such a shape that the lower portion thereof has a part arranged beneath the table in front of the guideway, to support the same in working position. It is necessary in order that the table top may slide freely through the guideway that it should fit loosely therein and, consequently, when it is in its extended position there will be more or less vibration of the table top Within the guide way and a consequent rattling thereof, which is very undesirable. Various efiorts have been made to overcome this condition, but without entire success. The difficulties in overcoming the condition are accentuated by the fact that many of the table tops used are of porcelain or th like and are liable to be more or less distorted in the process of manufacture, so that the difierent portions thereof will not lie in exactly the same plane, and, further, it not infrequently happens that table tops of different thicknesses will be used on kitchencabinets or other structures which in other respects are identical.

The object of the present invention is to provide a kitchen cabinet with means whereby the table top or shelf may have free sliding movement in its guideway, but will be locked or positively held against vibration when the table top is in its extended position.

It is also an object of the invention to provide such means which can be adjusted to accommodate the sam to table tops, different portions of which lie in different planes, because of distortions or for other reasons, and to table tops of different thicknesses.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a device of this kind which will be very simplein its construction; which can be readily applied to the table top; and which can be produced at a relatively low cost.

It is also an object of the invention to provide in a kitchen cabinet or like structure means for retaining the table top in its extended position while it is in use. In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly broken away, of a kitchen cabinet embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the samepartly in section; Fig. Sis a detail view of the supporting member for the table top; and Fig. 1 is a detail view of the socket member.

([11 these drawings I have illustrated one embodiment of my invention and have shown the same as applied to a kitchen cabinet of standard constructiombut it will be understood that the invention is not neces sarily limited to kitchen cabinets, but may be useful with other structures of a some what similar character.

The kitchen cabinet shown in the drawings comprises a lower section 1 and an upper section 2, which is of less de th than the lower section and is mounted a ove the rear portion of the lower section and spaced away therefrom to form a recess or guideway between the two sections of the'structure, which guideway is adapted to receive the rear portion of a table top 3 which rests upon the top of the lower section 1. The construction of the guideway'and the manner of connecting the two sections of the cabinet one to the other may take various forms. As here shown, the lower section 1 has secured to the top thereof along each of its lateral edges, a plate or strip of wood 1, which strips support the lateral edges of the table top 3. Interposed between the strips 4 and the upper section 2 are spacing strips 5 and 6 which serve to connect the two sections of the cabinet one to the other and to space them apart in the de sired relation. Preferably, the upper section of the cabinet is provided at its lower edge with a supporting frame 7 to which the spacing strips 5 and 6 are secured and the lateral portions of which form the upper surface of the guideway. The table top is of such width that when it is pushed back in the recess or guideway as far as it will go, the forward edge thereof will lie adjacent to the forward edge of the lower section of the cabinet, and, when the table top is in its extended position it will extend for a consid erable distance beyond the forward edge of the lower section of the cabinet, 'but will rest upon and be supported by said section of the cabinet. Suitable guides, such as dowel pins 8, are inserted in the table top and depend beneath the same along the inner edge of the lower surfaces of the guideways, that is, the strips 4:, and serve to hold the table top against lateral displacement. The recess or guideway between the two sections of the cabinet is preferably of a depth considerably greater than the thickness of the table top so that the latter can have free movement therein.

WVhen the table top is in its extended position it will tend to pivot about the forward edge of the lower section of the cabinet and, when work is being done on the forward portion of the table top, the rear edge thereof, which lies within the forward portion of the guideway, will tend to vibrate therein and to rattle unless some means is provided for holding the same against movement. This means must be of such a character that it will not interfere with the free movement of the table top into and out of its extended position, and it also should be of such a character that the table top will be locked or held against vibration without action on the part of the user, that is, it should be automatic. I have provided means for so holding the table top against vibration which, in the construction here illustrated, comprises a supporting member 9 secured to the table top near the lateral edge thereof and adapted to rest upon the lower surface 4 of the guideway, there being in a structure such as that here shown one of these supporting members at each side of the table top. The supporting member is spaced a short distance from the rear edge of the table top and depends beneath the table top so as to support the latter out of engage ment with the lower surface or track of the guideway, and to form a fulcrum about which the table top may pivot. The height of the supporting member is such that that part of the table top immediately above the same will be out of engagement with the upper surface of the guideway and, consequently, when the table top is in a horizontal position the whole upper surface of the table top will be out of engagement with the upper surface of the guideway and, consequently, it will have free sliding move ment in the guideway, and because the supporting member or members constitute the only point of contact between the table top and the guideway, the movement will be a very easy one and there will be no tendency to bind. When the forward portion of the table top is permitted to rest upon the lower section of the cabinet, when the table top is in its extended position, the table top will move about the fulcrum formed by the supporting member or members, and thus cause that portion of the table top lying in the rear of said supporting member to be elevated and thereby brought into contact with the upper surface of the guideway. The weight of the table top and the work being done thereon will tend to hold the rear edge thereof in contact with the upper surface of the guideway, and thus maintain a firm contact between the table top and the up per surface of the guideway, and the supporting members and the lower surface of the guideway, which will efiectually prevent any vibration or rattling of the table top in the guideway. When it is desired to move the table top to its retracted position the forward edge thereof is raised slightly so as to lower the rear edge out of contact with the upper surface of the guideway, and the table top may then be moved into its retracted position.

The supporting member may take various forms, but it is preferably adjustable so that it can be accon'imodated not only to table tops which are more or less distorted so that the corners thereof lie out of plane of the top as a whole, but to table tops of different thicknesses and to other conditions which may arise. This may be accomplished in various ways, but in the present drawings I have shown the supporting member as comprising a screw-threaded pin or plug 10 adapted to be screwed into an opening formed in the table top. This pin or plug is provided at its lower end with a suitable contact surface to bear upon the track or lower surface of the guideway, and I prefer that it should be provided with a roller 11 rotatably mounted within the same and projecting slightly below the lower end thereof. This construction is not only very simple, but very strong and durable, and can be easily applied to the table top and requires no change whatever in the construction of the cabinet or the guideway.

It is not only desirable that there should be some means provided for limiting the forward movement of the table top to prevent it from being entirely withdrawn from the guideway or recess, but it is very desirable that some means should be provided to hold the table top against rearward movement while work is being done thereon, and this means must be of such a character that the table top can be easily moved rearwardly when desired. To accomplish this, I have mounted on the lower section of the strucmember 12 adapted to receive the forward dowel pin 8, and having its front and rear walls so steep that the dowel pins will be retained therein unless the table top is elevated to lift the pins out of the socket. Projecting downwardly and rearwardly from the rear wall of the socket member is a guide or inclined surface 13 arranged in the path of the dowel pin and adapted to be engaged thereby and to elevate the dowel pin over the rear wall of the socket member as the table moves forwardly. The continued forward movement of the table top will bring the dowel pin in engagement with the front wall of the socket member and thus check its forward movement. After the table top has been lowered to its working position, the pin will lie against the rear wall of the socket member and effectually prevent the table top from being pushed rearwardly unless it is purposely elevated to free the pin from the socket.

WVhile I have shown and described one embodiment of my invention, I wish it to be understood that I do not desire to be limited to the details thereof, as obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a structure of the character described, the combination with a lower section and an upper section spaced from the lower section to form a guideway, a table top slidably mounted in said guideway, said lower section having means to support the forward portion of said table top when the latter is in its extended position, of a rigid supporting member adjustably mounted on said table top near each lateral edge thereof, spaced from the rear edge thereof and projecting beneath the same to engage the lower surface of said guideway and form a fulcrum about which said table top may move.

2. In a structure of the character described, a lower section having along each side thereof a strip forming a track, an upper section of less depth than said lower section, means for supporting said upper section on and in spaced-relation to the rear portion of said lower section to form a recess between said sections, and a table top slidably mounted in said recess, of supporting members secured to and projecting beneath said table top to engage the respective tracks and spaced from the rear edge of said table top, and guide pins carried by said table top to engage the edges of said track members and hold said table top against lateral displacement.

3. In a structure of the character de scribed, the combination with a lower section and an upper section of less depth than said lower section and spaced away therefrom to form a guideway and a table top slidably mounted in said guideway, of supporting members secured to said table top near the lateral edges thereof and projecting beneath the same to support said table top on said lower section of said structure, and spaced from the rear edge of said table top to cause said rear edge to be elevated when the forward edge is lowered, a socket member secured to said lower section of said table and having a downwardly and rearwardly inclined portion, and a pin carried by said table top and arranged to engage said inclined portion of said socket member and to ride over the same and enter said socket as said table top is moved forwardly.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature hereto.

HENRY J. BITTER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

